Combined testing dock and salvage vessel



' June 17, 1930. Y sPgAR 1,764,903

COMBINED TESTING DOCK AND SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Feb. 20, 1928 2Sheefs-Sheet 1 frwvzfar .[azurezzceyj car June 17, 1930. L. Y. spg-h 1764,903

COMBINED TESTING DOCK AND SALVAGE VESSEL Filed Feb. 20. 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2- line 6'6 of Fig.

Patented June 17, 1930 arse .r'rs

PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE Y. srnen, or nnw LonnoN, connncrrour, assreivon'ro ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY, or eaotron-oonnscrroor, a ooaroanrron on NEWJERSEY COMBINED TESTING DOCK AND SALVAGE VFSSEL Application fil ed.February 20, 1928. Serial No.1255,686.

This invention relates to ship construction, and more particularly towhat I term a combinod testing dockand salvage ship.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide a shipconstruction of the charactor stated in which the ship hull is providedwith a compartment for reception of a submarine boat to.be tested, thehull being formed in sections, detachably secured to: To gether' andhaving means for controlling the buoyancy of such sections, whereby thesubmarine boat may be readily floated into the testing dock orcompartment. ject is to provide means whereby a diver 1."? workingfroinrthe ship can enter the water wellbelow the surface thereof so asnot to be subjected to the action of rough seas at the surface. Afurther object is to provide simple and efficient means whereby the shipaois well adapted for raising heavy leads by its bpoyaut effect. A stillfurther object is to provide efficient means for mooring the ship from aplurality of points along the sides thereof whereby the ship may beeffectively moored so as to maintaln its position under unfavorableweather and current conditions.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the detail description.In the drawings ly on line 11 of Fig. 2, the terminal stern portion ofthe ship being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the ship;

Fig. 8is a sectiontaken substantially on 35 line 3-3 of Fig. 1; i l

, Fig; l is an enlarged section taken substantially on line. ll of m.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through the adjacent ends of thehull sections,

parts being shownin elevation, illustrating the securing means therefor;

Fig. 6 is asection taken Fig. 7 is aplan view showing the apparatus foreffecting the lifting of heavy loads by the buoyancy ofthe ships hull; 1Fig. 8 is abow view of the hull with-the ap- 7 so paratus of Fig appliedthereto;

Another obsubjected in testing submarine boats.

Fig. 1 is a sectional View taken substantial fragmentary detailsubstantially on r Fig. 9 is a section taken substantially on line 99 ofFig. 1.

Inconstructing the ship in accordance with invention the hull is formedin two sections, a main hull section 1, and a bow section 2. Section 1is provided with an inner hull having an aft portion 3 of circular crosssection and a forward portion 4 which is of increased height andincludes a lower substantially circular section 5 and an upper section 6shaped to accommodate the conning tower of a submarine boat; This innerhull forms an air and water tight chamber which opens through a bulkhead7 atthe forward end of section 1 and is of a strength to resist the highpressures to which it is necessarily The chamber or compartment thusformed is adapted to receive a submarine'boat floated thereintothroughthe open end of the compartment. The other end of this compartment isclosed by a bulkhead 8. i

The space between the outer hull of the main section 1 and the innerhull. which definesthe submarine boat receiving compartment is dividedby suitable partitions or bulkheads to form ballast'tanksl) at oppositesides of the inner hull or compartment, and a fuel storage tank or space10 below the compartment. ,A bulkhead 11 extends transversely of thecompartment or spacebeneath the inner hull and forms with the lowerportion of bulkhead 7 atrimming tank 12. A second trimming tank 13 isprovided at the stern of the main section 1. A deck 14 is provided inthe plane of the top of the smaller P01131011?) of the submarine boatreceiving compartment,'and a second deck 15 is provided in the planeofthe top of the enlarged forward portion ofthis compartment. Thesedecks are provided withsuitable hatches 16 and 17 .which give access tothe boat receiving coinpartment and are suitably securedand construct'edto withstand the high pressures in this compartment.) Section 1 alsoincludes a main deck 18. The decks 14 and 15 are she'lteredand provideample space for living quarters, storerooms, work rooms, shelter forwarping and hoisting machinery, etc; The

hull also includes the engine room or cornloo partment 19 and, byproviding suitably disposed bulkheads, various compartments necessary ordesired, may be provided within the shown,1-for raising and loweringsaid section,

permitting the diver to enter the water at an appreciable depth belowthe surface. The upper end of the diving [well or trunk 20 opens into awater tight compartment 22 on the main deck, this compartment beingprovided with suitable hatches 23 giving access thereto from the maindeck. This compartment is adapted tocontain suitableapparatus for use indiving operations and for raising and lowering the extension member 21of thetrunk. I i

For the sake of clearness in illustration and description, the hullofthe boat is illustrated semi-diagrammatically, the steeringand propellerapparatus, and the internal'mechamsm of the boat being omitted as suchmechanism and apparatus is" well understood by those skilleo in the artand forms no part of my invention, except in so far as it cooperateswith the novel construction herein illustrated and described foreffecting the desirediesults. In practice, the dockor compartment forreceiving and testing a submarine boat has the necessary fittings. forregulating the position of the submarine and for securing it inposition. This compartment also, has associated therewith the usualventing, blowing, flooding and pumping connections. It will .also bevunderstood tiatsuitable means areprovided for emptying and filling theballast and trim tanks,supplying fuel tothe engine, etc. All of this iswell understood in the art and need not be. illustrated n'or describedin detail. i

The bowsection 2 of the hull hasits aft end closed by awatertightbulkhead 24 and is provided with a plurality of ballast-and trim tanks25, formed by appropriate bulkheads.

Bulkhead?- of section 1 is provided on its forward face with head .25which co-acts with a gasket 27 on bulkhead 24 (Fig. 1-) for effecting afluid; tight closure ofthelforward endof the boat rece ving compartmentofsec tron lwhen the two sections of the hull are se cured in operativerelation. 7 V

jFor: securing sections .1' and 2 together I provide. a plurality ofcylinders28 in which operate pistons 59. A piston rod3O is secured toeach piston 29 and operates through a suitable stufiing .boX 31QinQt-hecylinder head. Thispiston rod also operatesfthrough a stufiing box32inthe bulkheadfl'. "At. its

forward endlthe-rod3o is proyided with a head 33 ofsubstantiallyrectangular shape,

' detail.

the piston rod being of T-form. Head 33, when disposed at right anglesto its position shown in Fig. 5, passes through a corres ending opening34 in bulkhead 24 (Fig. 6).

suitable cover or cap 35 is secured to the inner face of bulkhead 24 andextends over and about the opening 34 so as to form a water tightclosure about the same. An arm 36 is suitably connected to the pistonrod 30 for turning the same and any suitable means may be connected tothis arm for turning the rod 30 through an angle of 90 degrees in eitherdirection. The hull section 1 is provided with a plurality of the pistonor securingl rods 30 disposed in a circle about the open end of thesubmarine boat receiving compartment, and bulkhead 24' of section .2 isprovided with a. plurality of similarly arrangedopenings 34.

For initially aligning the hull sections 1 and 2 and holding themagainst relative transverse movement, I provide two aligning members 37,which are suitably secured to the main deck 18 of section 2. Each ofthese members is provided with a rearwardly extending reduced portion 38adapted for insertion through a pairof eye members 39 and 40, secured insuitable manner to deck 18 of section 1.7 As will be noted more clearlyfrom Fig. i, the opening of member 39 is flared from its aft to itsforward end to facilitate entry of portion or-element 38 of member 37thereinto. Each of the members 37is provided, at the rearward end ofelements'38 thereof with an opening forming an eye 11 for reception of aline or cable which may be passed about a power driven drum for pullingthe members 37 into position tnrough the eye members 39 and 40, movingthe sections 1 and 2 of the hull into alignment adjacent each other.

After section 2 has been moved into position adjacent section 1 andiii-proper alignment therewith, in the manner described, the rods 30 areprojected by admitting a suitable pressure fluid in rear of the pistons29 in the cylinders 28. At this time the rods areturned into suchposition that the heads 33 thereof will pass through the openings 34-.The rods are then turned through an angle of 90 degrees to dispose theheads 33 at right angles to the openings 34 (Fig. 6), after which thepressure in back of the pistons 29 is released and pressure fluid isadmitted in front of the pistons, thus forcing the. section 2 tightlyagainst section 1 of the hull and holding it in this position. Anysuitable means well known in the art may be employed for controlling theadmission and'exhaust of pressure fluid to the cylinders, and it is notthought necessary to illustrate or describe such means in When thetwoisections of the hull are thus secured together the members 37, whichpossess comparatively great mechanical strength, are of very materialassistance in securing thesection 2'infproperposition and inresistingthe stresses to which this section isnecessarily subjected;

Inusing the ship for testing; submarine boats thesections'l' and 2 ofthe hull are re leased from each otherand separated exposing the openforward end. of the submarine boat receiving compartment. ,The buoyancyof section 1 is then reducedbymeans of the ballast tanks, thissectionbeing maintained on an even keel by the trimming tanks, and section 1 issubmerged sufiiciently to enable the submarine boat to be floated intothe compartment therefor, where it is mounted or supported on suitableblocks, as indicated in Fig. 1. After this has been done the bow section2 is submerged by meansof its ballast and trim tanks to the proper depthand is thenaligned with the forward end of the section 1, after whichthese two sections are secured tightly together in the manner described.To assist in properly aligning section 2 with section 1, the twosections of the hull may be provided, with suitable graduationmarks,wherebythe depth of submergence of eithersection can be readilyascertained. After the submarine boat has been thus positioned in thetesting compartment therefor, it may be tested in a known 1nanner bysubjecting to the action ofwater under high pressure. or the waterinthecompartment may bedischarged therefrom and the boat subjected to airunder high pressure, as well understood inthe art. When the ship is notbeing used for testing submarine boats, the testing'compartment isavailable as an additional ballast tank for ,submerging the ship to agreater depth than is possible by using only the ballast tanks'exclusiveof the testing compartment. a 1

It isdesirable,particularly during salvaging operations, that the boatbe effectively moored in such manner as to be able to maintain itsposition under unfavorable weather and current conditions. With thisobject in view I provide, on the main deck 18 of sec tion 1, a pluralityof mooring devices such as capstans 42, upon which are wound moormglines 43, these lines being passed or led through the customary chocksto the capstan s. The capstans 42 are disposed in spaced relation alongthe opposite sides of the'hull and provide means whereby the ship can beeffectively moored and held in position. A cap- I stan 44 is alsopreferably provided at the stern of the ship. The hull of'the ship,including all openings and hatches therein, is water tightso that,in'rough weather, the ship may be submerged to such anextent as to verymaterially reduce its buoyancy, materially reducing the abnormalstresses to which the mooring lines would be subjected, particularlyduring rough weather if the buoyancy of the ship'were not thus reduced.

For lifting relatively lightloadsl provide 'a'suitable cranestructureincluding a pole mast 45 mounted atthe stern of the ship and aboom 46. This crane is of known construction and may be operated inasuitable manner forraising any object within the radius of the boom 46.The crane, as well as the capstans, and-any other apparatus which it maybe desired to positionon the main deck 18, are preferably operated fromsuit-able motors or engines positioned on the deck 15 so as to beeffectively sheltered, operating shafts being'passed through" the maindeck 18 by means of suitable stuffingboxes eifect- 1' ing a watertightclosure. about the same.

beams 48 mounted thereon and of a lengthi to project beyond the sides ofthe hull. Each of the beams is provided with brackets 49 securedthereto, these brackets being adapted for securement to the outer rails47 by being bolted thereto, as in 'Fig. 8, or in any other suitablemanner. Each beam 48 may be provided with a central upwardly extendingbracket 50 to which are secured stay rods 51 secured at their ends totheends of'the beam. The beam is adapted-to receive, at its ends,suitable lines or hoisting cables 52; secured thereto in any suitable orpreferred manner or, if desired, suitable blocks may be sus' pended fromthe ends of the beam, the cables being passed through pulleys in suchblocks. The lifting lines or cables 52 are also suitably secured to thesubmerged objectto be raised, such as a wrecked or disabled sub-, marineboat. .VVhen using the ship to raise the object by the-pontoon method,it is first submerged and, after the cables or lines 52 aresuitablyattachedtothe objectto be lifted,

the buoyancy of the, ship is increased by emptying thejballast tanksthereof so that This is well understood in the art and need the buoyancyof the ship acts upon'the object to exert a lifting effect thereon. In,this manner, it islpossible to exerta relatively'great lifting effectand the stresses are distributed over the lifting structure or shipwhich is constructed to withstand such stresses, A f

further advantage of this method isthat at tachment may be made to theobject tobe lifted at a plurality of pointsandthelifting effect isexerted at such points, which isfre quently of material advantage. Also,by properly regulating the buoyancy ofthe ship,

theabnormal stresses induced on-t-helifting tion. This adjustment of thecan be effected either manually or by suitable power means.

By the provision of the divingtrunk and the extensible sectionill-thereof it is possible for thediver to enter thewater' well belowthe surface. By reducing the buoyancy of the ship to a minimum the depthbelow the surface at which the diver leaves the diving trunk isincreased and the base from which the diver operates is maintainedsubstantially steady since the ship, due to its reduced buoyancy, willnot be materially affected by the roughness of the water at the surface.In this manner, the diver does not have to contend with the motion ofthe water atthe surface whichis a distinct advantage, particularly inrough'weather. As'previously stated, the vessel is shownsemi-diagrammatically for'clearness in illustration and description. Infact, the vessel will be equipped with suitable propulsive machinery ofany desired ty e,together with pumps, aircompressors,compressed airreservoirs, hoisting machinery, de-compression chambers, winches,machine shop, steering gear, radio apparatus, submarine signalingapparatus, etc, and will constitute a self-contained sea worthy'salvageand rescue vessel capable of maximum lifts through short distances whenused as a pontoon, and also capable of heavy lifts to the surfacefromdeep water in one operation. i

lVhat I claim is 1. In a "ship construction, a sectional hull extensibleand retractible, securingmembers carried by one of the sections of thehull, means for extending and retracting said members, and members onthe other section cooperating with sai'dsecuring members, the securingmembers when retracted hold ing the two sections firmlytogether. j

2. In a combined testing dock and salvage ship, a main hull sectionhaving an air and water tight; compartment opening through the forwardend thereof and "adapted for reception of a submarine boat tober'teste'd, the:

forward portion of said'compartnient being of increased height,saidhullsection having a deck in the plane'of the top of theaft portion ofthe compartment and a second deck 1 inthe plane of the-top of theforward portion of the compartment, a bow hull section, and

means for detachably securing saidsections l together and effecting afluid tight closure of the orward end of the boat receiving compartment;Q n

3. In a combined testing dock and salvage ship, a main hull sectionhaving an'air and water tight compartment opening-through the forwardendthereof and adapted for reception of a submarine boat to be tested,theforward portion'of said compartment being of increased height,said'hullsection having a deck in the planeof the top of the aft portionof the compartment and a second deck in the plane of the top of theforward portion of thecompartment, said main hull section being furtherprovided with a main deck above said second deck, a bow hullsectionhaving a main deck, means on the main decks of the two sections forinitially alignsaid sections and for f holding them against relativetransverse movement, and means for forcing said sections toward eachother and releasably securing them together, said means also efiecting afluid tight closure of the forwardend of the boat receiving compartment.

4:. In a combined testing dock and salvage ship, a'main hull sectionhaving a Water tight bulkhead at its forward end," said sectionincluding a water and air tight compartment opening through the bulkheadand adapted for reception of a submarine boat to be test; ed, a bowsection having its' aft end closed by a water tight bulkhead, amember'mounted on the bulkhead of the main section and enclosing theopening 'of said compartment, a second member on the bow'sectionbulkhead and adapted for cooperation withthe first member to form afluid tight closure therewith, and means for forcing the two sectionstoward each other and detachably securing them together.

In'witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day ofFebruary, 1928.

LAWRENCE Y. 'SPEAR.

